


Time Off

by cherrytruck



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Ruby & Sapphire & Emerald | Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Emerald Versions
Genre: Gen, M/M, Plot Twists, Unreliable Narrator, or so i hope, originshipping, sad times for everyone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-20
Updated: 2014-09-20
Packaged: 2018-02-18 04:27:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2335289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrytruck/pseuds/cherrytruck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wallace is bedsick and gets a visit from Mr Stone. Wallace uses the opportunity to talk about Steven, but he still finds Mr Stone's concern rather odd and wonders what is going on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Off

I had sat up in bed, still feeling quite messy and disgruntled that my hair wasn’t in perfect condition, but at least my headache was getting a little better. I had been in bed for a couple of days from having quite the fever, but I was simply glad I no longer had an awful headache that felt like two giant rocks rubbing against my ears.

As I sat myself up, I noticed there was a visitor in my room. It was Mr Stone sitting beside me. Strange, I thought. Wasn’t he a busy man? I didn’t think he was concerned enough to visit me for being ill. Maybe Steven told him to drop by and give me something.

“Hello Wallace, how are you feeling?”

“Mr Stone!” I tried to tidy my hair up a little to make sure I looked presentable. “What brings you here? And how is Steven?”

When I said that, I thought I noticed him looking a little upset. I wondered what happened. Was something the matter? Was it the reason that he, rather than Steven, was visiting me?

Actually, why wasn’t Steven here?

“Steven is all right,” Mr Stone answered promptly. “But he asked me to come by and say hi to you for him. He wants to make sure you are feeling all right.”

I smiled - that was a relief to hear. “Wow, thanks Mr Stone! I guess Steven is busy, huh? Though I expected you’d be the busier man of the two. But that’s all right.” I kept observing Mr Stone, who didn’t look amused to be here. Perhaps I was droning on a bit, so I tried stopping myself. “...sorry, I’m really glad you came by. But it’s not a big deal. I’ll get better soon!”

“Well, I’m glad to see your spirits so high.” Mr Stone let out a faint smile towards me, and then looked down and started fiddling with what appeared to be some metal rings of his own. I tried to stir up some chit chat to make this visit at least somewhat entertaining for him.

“So, you have your own steel rings too huh? Like father, like son!”

“Hmm...yes.” Mr Stone suddenly put his hands still on his lap and sat up. “We’re very fond of stones. I suppose Steven must tire you with his endless stories about the many different stones he has found, huh?”

I started laughing, with a bit of aching in my chest but at least I found the sentiment genuinely funny. “So you know how it is! He really does love his stones. What coincidence that your family name is Stone - how fitting could it be?!”

Mr Stone let out a chuckle, the first time he looked relaxed since speaking with me. “Very.”

“Your son is a great man,” I said with a confident demeanor despite how terrible I must have looked. It wasn’t the first time I had spoken to Mr Stone, but we never really had a heart to heart talk seeing how even Steven never quite had the time to talk to his own father, let alone myself. “Don’t take this in a un-appreciative way, but I admire how he remains humble despite having every right to be another rich kid type trainer. He’s someone who truly pursues his dreams...and he’s very kind and selfless towards others. I want to thank you for raising him so well!”

Mr Stone nodded, but then he looked upset again. I worried that I had said something wrong, but what was it? I complimented his son for being a great person. Maybe the way I said it was awkward, but I could tell from Mr Stone’s expressions that awkwardness wasn’t the worst of it. I thought Mr Stone was about to cry, though he was very clearly trying to hide it.

“Mr Stone? What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer with words, and instead his face partially faced away from me. He shook his head, as if to tell me it was nothing. But I wasn’t buying it.

I was about to ask him again, but then I suddenly felt my lungs drained of air, and I began to cough violently. I thought my flu had cleared up but it seemed not. I felt my muscles shivering uncontrollably, hands shaking. As physically discomforting as it was, I found myself more concerned acting like such a mess in front of someone as sophisticated as Mr Stone. As if he needed to see his son’s partner in such a state, after having to take out time from his busy day.

I caught my breath again, although they became deep and painful, and I could no longer sit up properly. Mr Stone immediately rushed closer towards me, holding my hand. It was strange - why was Mr Stone doing that? It felt oddly familiar, his grip, fingers, and even all those rings being exactly like Steven’s.

“Wallace! Stay calm, I’m here for you!”

What was Mr Stone going on about? Of course I knew he was there. We had been talking for the past couple of minutes after all. I was still breathing too heavily to talk straight away, but the way Mr Stone looked at me made it clear that he didn’t want me to exert myself for him. Still, I had to try.

“I-I’m all right,” I said weakly. My body stopped trembling and I felt at ease again, although I still found it odd how Mr Stone was acting. This just wasn’t like him at all. It was more like…”S-St…”

“Shh, save your strength.” Mr Stone pulled the blanket up to my shoulders while I kept my gaze at him, eyes following him towards where he appeared to be now kneeling near the bed. “You still need to rest up. Don’t worry, if anything happens, I’ll be here by your side.”

I managed to nod, though I was still confused by Mr Stone’s behaviour, but I was thankful for his concern nonetheless. Behind Mr Stone, the picture frame stood out in my vision. It was a photo of myself after winning a Pokemon contest a while ago, dated a few years back from summer 2006, with Steven by my side. If only this flu went away so that I could go back to practicing for the next contest, and be with Steven yet again.

I noticed the watch on Mr Stone’s hand. I decided to read it to entertain myself briefly. It said it was 4 o’clock in the afternoon, the date being the 5th October, 2064.

I figured I should later tell Mr Stone that his watch had somehow been set to the wrong time.

**Author's Note:**

> In case you didn't figure it out, Wallace has memory loss and was talking to Steven throughout the fic, mistaking him as Mr Stone. They're both elderly men but Wallace doesn't realize that, still thinking he's in his years of youth.


End file.
